This has been 1 crazy ride. Now I think I have figured out this whole mess. Andrew had been SOOOO sick this last week... from what we thought was Marek's Disease or metal poisoning... I started him on hand feeding fromula and extreamly diluted gatorade and he has been gaining weight. Today I was loving on him and noticed that he had a FOUL smell to him. I gave him a bath and to my wondering eyes should appear a MASSIVE abcess on his tail. It has been putting pressure on his nerves that run down his legs. I not only found the stentch but possibly the cause of his not walking. I am calling his awesome vet tomorrow and getting him on antibiotics right away. I am really hoping that this is the end of this whole scary episode and we can get back to life. I have been so worried about him through this whole thing. I think tonight I am going to give myself a good hot bubble bath and get some sleep that is very well needed. But first I must tell you about Andrew's best friend. He is a pigeon that I rescued. My father works for the power plant her in AK. The guys around the shop had been seeing this injured bird on occasion so they asked my dad if he was willing to catch this little guy and take it to a vet. He said he has someone in mind that can do what could be done for him. 1 night the rest of the family and I were out on the back patio visitinddy came in with a box and kind of tossed it at me. I opened it VERY slowly not knowing what was inside. He said do what you can to help this bird. I took him into the house and looked him over to determine what I could do. His leg needed to be compleatly removed. It had been almost severed from and owl attack and both wings were broken. 1 of them had already healed and didn't heal properly. The other had an open fracture and I had fashioned a wire splint and sewed up the wound. I don't think he even felt anything cause he was so still through the whole ordeal. For the leg... It had died and was just rotting off so I cut it off and cauterized the the wound to control bleeding. I honestly didn't think that he was going to make it through the night. I brought him to my apt and hand fed this skin and bone s bird for 2 weeks changing his bandages and teaching him how to hop on 1 leg at this point we named him Gabriel after the Arc angel. Then came Andrew... At first Andrew was so mean to Gabriel. Then about a week later I caught them snuggling together. Andrew was teaching Gabe how to be a bird again. He has taught him how to roll in dirt and peck through bedding for seed. Then with this thing with Andrew's health, Gabriel has repaid Andrew. I keep Andrew right by my bed so it is nice and warm and so when I am not awake I can hear if he moves. This morning as I was getting things ready for Andrew Gabriel wanted out of his box. He ran into my room and and nested down on Andrews box and wouldn't leave. Every once in a while I would hear peeps from andrew and coos from Gabriel. I truely think that these 2 are as best friends as can be. They love eachother.
Dawn "Mama Bird" Andrew and Gabriel